ICM Partners Signs Cuba Gooding Jr

ICM Partners has signed Cuba Gooding Jr. No Oscar-winner’s path has been more confounding than that of Gooding. He seemed poised for great things after his performance as the wide receiver opposite Tom Cruise in Cameron Crowe’s Jerry Maguire, followed by his exuberant Oscar acceptance speech. Gooding has been in some decent movies since — Men Of Honor, Pearl Harbor, As Good As It Gets and American Gangster – but it also looked like he went for a lot of easy paydays and squandered his momentum. It also didn’t help that right after all the acclaim Gooding received for his performance as a player who stayed loyal to his sports agent, Gooding ditched his film agent right after, and has bounced like a tennis ball between talent agencies. He comes to ICM from CAA at a time when he has some momentum. He’s currently on Broadway in The Trip To Bountiful and has the lead role in Life Of A King, the indie film that premiered last weekend at the LA Film Festival. He should get a real boost from the Lee Daniels-directed The Butler, which The Weinstein Company releases August 16. He’s got a strong supporting role that could put Gooding back on track.

I agree that his post-Oscar career is the most confounding, though Adrien Brody seems determined to give him a run for his money.

Michelle • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Ugh, Adrien Brody had SUCH amazing potential. Wtf happened?

Trouble Trouble • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

This is great… they signed another ICE CUBE!!! YAY!

showmethemoney! • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Cool sign for ICM. He’s definitely got the chance to have a nice moment/rebirth of his career right now. Curious to see where they take him.

superfan • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Go ICM!!!!!!!!!

Exec • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Loved LIFE OF A KING. Saw it at the LA Film Festival Saturday.

TBYM • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Me too! Great movie. I hope people get the chance to see it.

lemon • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

This guy takes an agent every 6 months. Work hard get him a job and he will fire you and not pay commission. Dumb sign.

indaknow • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Just dreadful…

x • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

love how PEARL HARBOR and AS GOOD AS IT GETS are lumped together under the category of “decent” movies. That’s probably the worst thing anybody has ever said about AS GOOD AS IT GETS.

Toni Howard • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

I WANTED MY EGG HARD BOILED, NOT POACHED!!!

Oscar • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

In your face, CAA!

Chickenlittle • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

He’s be better of at … i hate to say it… APA or someplace that will actually work hard for him.. like Abrams or Talentworks. ICM is not a good fit.

Amazing! • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Irv Schechter! Love that guy

JBFVPG • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Life Of A King was a great film. Cuba’s best work in years!

Sterling • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Finally!

Sherry Adamson • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

I just rented Cuba’s new movie from Lionsgate, “SUMMONED.” Decent for a lower budget horror film, kind of like “The Ring”, although he had a small role. While he was good in the movie, maybe new reps will get him more of the bigger films he deserves.

C Daddy • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

As an agent there are lots of red flags when you look at the details of his career…
Hopefully he turns it around and gets back to business!

We know you demons • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

CGjr is a decent good guy. His career is fine. Not on fire. But that’s what careers are. He’ll be around til he’s gray and will continue to do good work in all varieties of films and TV. TV TV TV. Hope ICM gets him a solid TV show. Agents and managers are worthless scum. Matt DelPiano was a good guy once, but he drank that kool aide and is a lost soul bound for hell. So having clients leave him is no shocker. He’s a demon along with all the others that hold this towns angel artists hostage. This fight will be fought to the end. Greed vs art.

Real person • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Don’t take him back DelPiano!!!!! You deserve better.

phil vaster • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

One of the best actors out there!

Bluto • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

… said no one.

Michelle • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Seems just like yesterday he was a kid in a barber shop chair!

brian demrist • on Jun 25, 2013 9:10 am

Gooding is still one of the best actors out there!
Bad career choices? Yes, but need to pay the bills and all the greats got some films that they did are not happy about.
Give this guy a studio project and u will see the true talent he is born with!